An Englishman, William Shaw was in South Australia when he heard of the California gold rush, and he sailed across the Pacific from Adelaide in 1849. Golden dreams and waking realities (1851) describes that voyage, his visit to San Diego and his landing in San Francisco. Then follows an account of the long trip to the gold fields and details of life as a prospector in the international community of the camps. Leaving the mines for Stockton, Shaw is befriended by Mission Indians. Leaving Stockton for San Francisco, Shaw takes a series of odd jobs in the city before moving on the Mission of Dolores until the New Year, when he finds passage back to Australia, all the while recording the social life and business activities he saw. Next he records the changes observable in Hawaii on his return voyage, a visit to Samoa, and his reception on his landing at Sydney.